» Govt will probe irregularities in land allotment to Ramdev trust: Virbhadra Singh

Govt will probe irregularities in land allotment to Ramdev trust: Virbhadra Singh

Updated: Thursday, July 23, 2015, 10:27 [IST]

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Shimla, July 23: Himachal Pradesh Government would conduct a probe into alleged irregularities in allotment of land to Baba Ramdev's trust near Sadhupul in Solan district, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said.

The erstwhile BJP government had given 20 acres (96.5 bighas) of land at Kehlog village along the Kandaghat-Chail highway to Ramdev's trust on 99 years' lease in 2010 for Rs 17.31 lakh for setting up an herbal garden and a branch of Patanjali Yogpeeth.

After the Congress government came to power in December 2012, it ordered revocation of the land lease on February 19, 2013 and asked the revenue authorities to take possession of the land within three days.

Now, the government has come to know that a different piece of land was identified and no objection certificate (NOC) was given for the same but actually another piece of land was given in the vicinity without seeking a fresh NOC and a vigilance probe would be ordered to fix the responsibility of the officials involved in the process of granting lease, the chief minister said.

Originally, the land was allotted to the trust at Chohara on Kandaghat-Chail Road and NOC was given by the Ayurvedic Department for setting up a factory and use of herbal plants for manufacturing ayurvedic medicines but due to some problems, the land could not be transferred to the trust.

However, the trust got another piece of land in the vicinity on the basis of an old NOC and land was leased out which is illegal and the government would get the entire matter probed as there is suspected connivance of officials, Singh said.

Within a week after the government took possession of the land, Baba Ramdev moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court against the government's action and the court ordered "status quo" in respect of the land on February 28, 2013.

An FIR was also registered in the case at Kandaghat police station and SP Solan Ramesh Chajta said that the case is in final stage.